Franklin Christoph

[gerigo]

Franklin Christoph uses Jowo nibs that is very commonly used by many small pen makers such as Edison Pen Co. They are obviously not swappable with any of the big name brands such as MontBlanc, Visconti, Aurora, Sailor..., you get the picture.

[suzi_scribbles]

I have one of their SIG nibs in an 02, and it's my favourite nib hands down. The pen is nice and solid, I have a Smoke and Ice, but not spectacular but the nib blows me away every time I use it.

 

Do they fit any other type of pen as I would buy more and fit to more of my pens if I could.... (never swapped nibs before)

+1. LOVE the SIG nib. I have an 02 in Amber and I adore that pen. The amber is beautiful but the SIG is phenomenal. I ordered a pocket 66 in solid ice after that and switched from a Masuyama to SIG again. I have two more FC's on order (the Ghost and model 31) but this time have forced myself to move from the SIG to try something different, :-)

[AGxM]

Yeah may pull the trigger on a 19 with a SIG broad myself

[suzi_scribbles]

Yeah may pull the trigger on a 19 with a SIG broad myself

Let us know how you like the 19. I've read they're a little wider in the grip, which some people like and some don't, so I'm curious. It's a beautiful pen.

[plumo]

What is the SIG nib? The description on their website reads as though it's three different nibs: stub, italic and gradient. And their description of gradient seems like a description of Sailor's zoom nib: if the two are similar, can anyone elaborate on the comparison?

[Driften]

What is the SIG nib? The description on their website reads as though it's three different nibs: stub, italic and gradient. And their description of gradient seems like a description of Sailor's zoom nib: if the two are similar, can anyone elaborate on the comparison?

 

Where the zoom nib changes width with angle, the SIG nib changes from stub to italic from the angle.

[Mister5]

I've had very good experiences with Franklin Christoph, and have made multiple purchases from them online, and once at a pen show.

 

I have two of their pens, a Smoke & Ice Model 02 (internet order) and a Vintage Green Pocket 20 (Philly Pen Show). The 02 came with a Masuyama medium stub, which is probably my favorite nib for correspondence or any writing that's actually meant to be read by someone else. It was only marginally more to have that stub done by Mike Masuyama from their standard nib and I think is a real bargain.

 

The Pocket 20 has a Masuyama Needlepoint which is fine than anything else I have, and I use it for shorthand or any of my pocket journals. The Needlepoint wasn't working correctly at the Philly Pen Show while FC was testing it and they fixed it on the spot.

 

For some their pen design isn't going to be their cup of tea. I lean towards more conservative designs so that's not an issue for me. I think the "Coke Bottle" acrylic is unique, and they do have some designs with a touch of flair.

 

That said, they don't have interesting filling systems. I'm not a converter fan, and I'd love to see their take on a piston fill or vacuum fill. To avoid my converterphobia I like to use both the 02 and the Pocket 20 as an eyedropper. They appear and feel well engineered so I have no qualms doing so. An eyedropper on pen with a Needlepoint nib, even the relatively small Pocket 20 gives you a relatively massive capacity.

 

I think that is some of what you pay for with FC is the heightened QC and excellent service. One time I ordered a A5 Permaflex journal from them but there were some odd holes in it, like the stitching or perforation went awry. When I mentioned it to them over email they sent me a new journal.

 

The nib units they use are Jowo #5 & #6 so you could easily swap them with Jowo compatible threading in another pen (I've used the Medium Stub in a Ranga 03 that has Jowo threading with no problem)

 

I think the price to value on the nibs + excellent customer service keeps me coming back to them.

Edited July 8, 2017 by Mister5

[lbendezu]

I only have one FC pen, the #3 with a Masuyama #6 medium stub nib. I have to say it writes and feels perfectly. I originally had a broad nib but didn't find it as practical as I needed and they changed it no questions asked. their customer service is excellent and they have quite a huge and loyal following. My wife has very large collection of their pens and can't seem to get enough of them

That having been said, their designs may not be to everyone's liking. I do wish they had some other colors and styles.

 

From the way their nibs write I would imagine that they are doing some additional tuning. Even their run of the mill nibs write incredibly smoothly (IMHO).

[Tinjapan]

Love their pens. Wish I had more of them. Great ink and leather goods too. Customer service is first rate. Just a happy customer.

[stevekolt]

Getting ready to order another. My Model 20 with a gold Masuyama stub nib is one of my favorite pens. The nib is amazing.